The Splinter
by AnastaziaDanielle
Summary: Poor Kili gets injured and his big brother feels guilty.


Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit. It belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson.

The Splinter

Kili dashed outdoors after his brother, eager to play outside in the sunshine after being cooped up for the past two days because of rain. His stubby little legs pumped hard to keep up with Fili. The blond dwarf was five years older than his baby brother and therefore much faster. "Fi!" Kili called impatiently. "Fi!"

"Come on, Kili!" Fili called as he slowed to wait for his baby brother.

Kili grinned as he caught up to the older dwarf and slid his pudgy hand trustingly into Fili's larger one. "Play now?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure," Fili replied, resuming his trek toward a wooden fence that lined a nearby field, albeit more slowly so that his brother could keep up. "I am going to show you that I can balance on the top rail of that fence." Fili delighted in the awed look that appeared on Kili's face, the little dwarf's brown eyes widening into huge circles.

"Wow," Kili breathed.

Upon reaching the fence, Fili let go of his brother's hand and hoisted himself up onto the bottom railing. "Watch me, Ki!" he called, hefting his foot onto the top railing and pushing himself up. Very slowly, he stood up and waited until he had his balance.

From down below, Kili clapped happily. "Good job, Fi!"

Fili grinned and began to walk forward slowly, his arms out for balance. He made his way from once fence post to the next before jumping to the ground and beaming with pride. "Didja see me, Ki? I did it!"

Kili nodded enthusiastically. "I wanna try!" He scrambled forward and placed his hands on the bottom rail of the fence.

"You are too little," Fili protested. "You might get hurt."

"No!" Kili cried, determined to do everything his big brother could do.

"Kili," the blonde dwarf prince sighed, stepping forward to pry his brother off the fence. He grabbed Kili's little hand and tugged, dragging it along the wooden rail.

Kili howled in pain and snatched his hand away from his brother's, cradling it against him.

Fili stared at him, wide-eyed. "What happened, Kili?"

"It hurts," the tiny dwarf cried, huge tears streaking down his cheeks.

Fili felt his stomach plummet. He had hurt his baby brother. "Let me see, Ki," he said softly, taking his little brother's hand and pulling it toward him. Kili let him look, but he continued to sob.

A huge splinter was embedded in the flesh of Kili's right hand. Fili knew Mum was going to have to get it out with one of her sewing needles, and the thought made him sick. "I am so sorry, Kili," he cried, his own eyes filling with tears. It was his fault that Kili was going to have to suffer.

Kili buried himself into his big brother's side. "S'all right, Fi," he soothed even as he cradled his sore hand against his stomach once again.

"Come on," Fili sighed, taking Kili's good hand in his own. "We need to show Mum your splinter. She will know how to get it out."

Kili sniffled and allowed his brother to lead him towards home.

Dis frowned as she heard the front door open. She had just sent the boys out to play a short while ago.

"Mum!" Fili called urgently. "Kili's hurt!"

Dis dropped the dish she was drying into the sink and hurried toward the sound of her son's voice. She found a quietly crying Kili holding his hand protectively against his tummy. Dis fell to her knees before him and Kili threw himself into her arms. "What happened?" she asked, trying to get a good look at Kili's hand, but the child was having none of it.

"We were playing on the wooden fence by the field," Fili explained. "Kili was trying to climb on it, and I slid his hand on the rail when I tried to pull him off. He got a big splinter. It is my fault Kili got hurt." Huge tears welled in his blue eyes once again.

"Come here, love," Dis crooned, opening her free arm to her older son. Fili cuddled against his mother and baby brother. "Kili knows you did not mean to hurt him." She looked at her youngest and watched as Kili nodded through his tears. "Accidents happen sometimes, and you were only making sure that your brother did not hurt himself on the fence."

"But it will hurt him when you get it out," Fili wailed. "I wish it was me instead."

Dis sighed and kissed Fili's blonde hair. "I know you do. It is always hard when someone we love gets hurt. You can help me by holding Kili's other hand while I remove the splinter."

Fili nodded. "I will, Mum. I can hold your hand, Ki. I promise not to let go."

Kili nodded and sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

Dis found a needle in her sewing basket and quickly sterilized it by heating it over a candle.

Kili eyed his mother warily. "Why?" he asked simply when she approached the kitchen table with the needle and drew him into her lap.

"We must get the splinter out, little warrior," she soothed.

Fili took his brother's hand and squeezed it gently. "Mum has taken out my splinters before. She is really fast, Ki," he told his little brother honestly.

Kili watched as Dis began to prod at the splinter with the needle. It hurt and it looked scary. He squirmed in her lap and cried. "No, Mum! No! Hurts!"

"Kili, hold still!" Dis admonished. "It will only take a moment." He shifted in her lap and the needle poked his finger. He howled. "This will never do," Dis sighed. "Fili, run up the road to the forge and fetch your uncle. He can hold Kili while I get the splinter out."

Fili nodded, his big blue eyes wide and scared. Kili's screams grew louder and he was the cause. With guilt churning in his gut, Fili scampered out of the door and ran as fast as his legs could carry him to Uncle Thorin's forge.

"Uncle!" he gasped, panting for breath as he entered the hot, sooty stone building.

Thorin looked up from the blade he was shining with a rag and nearly dropped the sword at the sight of the tears streaking down Fili's cheeks. "What is it, lad?" he asked in alarm, placing the sword down and dropping the rag beside it.

"Kili's hurt and it is my fault," the child sobbed, throwing himself at his uncle.

Thorin lifted Fili effortlessly into his arms. "Tell me what happened?" he queried as he nodded toward Dwalin to continue working. Thorin began to jog down the road that led to their small home.

"Kili got a big splinter. Mum needs you to hold him still so she can get it out," Fili explained.

Thorin slowed his steps and looked Fili in the eye. "How is Kili getting a splinter your fault?" he asked gently.

"I was trying to get him off the fence and I pulled his hand over the wood," Fili sobbed, burying his face in Thorin's shoulder.

The dwarf king rubbed a soothing hand over his nephew's blonde hair. "I am sure that Kili will forgive you. It was an accident. You were trying to keep him safe."

"That's what Mum said," Fili hiccupped.

"Your Mum is very smart," Thorin assured his heir. "She is usually right about these sorts of things. Now, let us go see to Kili so that you will both feel better."

Thorin kept Fili in his arms as he entered the house. He found Kili huddled in Dis' arms at the table, sobbing brokenly. The sound made his heart ache, and he knew removing the splinter was going to hurt. He placed Fili on the floor and squeezed the lad's shoulder.

Dis frowned. "Did Fili tell you?" she asked softly.

"Aye," Thorin replied, reaching for his youngest nephew. "Come here, Kili." The child howled and kicked as Thorin held him close. "None of that now, little warrior," he chided his youngest nephew, turning Kili so that the child's face was buried in his shoulder. Thorin settled in a chair at the table and wrapped one arm around Kili's torso before clamping the other against the back of the child's head. Then he nodded at his sister.

Fili pressed against Thorin's side and gripped his brother's good hand tightly. "It will be over soon, Kili. I am so sorry. I wish it was me instead," he cried, hiding his face in Thorin's upper arm.

Dis' brow furrowed in concentration as she held Kili's hand steady and began to work the splinter out of the tender skin. Kili howled against Thorin's shoulder, his tiny body tense and rigid.

Thorin began to hum softly and Fil's childish voice joined him, the song of their lost home familiar to both boys.

The moments seemed to drag, but finally Dis sat back triumphantly. "Got it!"

Fili sighed with relief wiped his tears against Thorin's sleeve. Kili continued to shutter with sobs against Thorin. The dwarf king rubbed the child's back soothingly as Dis placed ointment on the wound and wrapped a bandage around Kili's hand.

Thorin stood when she finished and paced the kitchen, rocking the small boy in his arms. Kili's cries began to fade and soon were reduced to the occasional sniffle.

Fili could stand it no longer and tugged on Thorin's tunic, needing to see his brother. Thorin knelt and sat Kili on his knee so that Fili could see him.

"I am sorry I made you get a splinter, Kili," Fili apologized.

"S'okay," Kili mumbled, wiping at his tears with grubby fists.

"Do you forgive me?" Fili asked his brother hopefully.

"A'course," Kili told him with a nod as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. "You did not mean to give me a splinter." He reached out and patted Fili's blonde hair affectionately.

Fili grinned in relief before he reached into his pocket and withdrew a rather sticky looking piece of candy. "We can share my peppermint, Ki."

The youngest prince's eyes lit up at the sight of the treat.

Fili broke the peppermint stick in half and handed a piece to Kili who immediately shoved it into his mouth. Fili followed suit with his own piece and grinned at his brother.

Kili twisted in Thorin's arms to get down and his uncle placed him on the floor.

"I need to get back to the forge. I left Dwalin to handle the work," Thorin told his sister.

"Bye, Uncle." Kili flung his arms around Thorin's leg. "Thank you for helping me."

The dwarf king's heart softened and he tussled the child's dark hair fondly. "I will always be there to help you if I can, Kili. Now, you and your brother be good for your mother."

"We will," the boys chorused, Kili's wound all but forgotten as the boys scampered off to enjoy their candy.

Dis sighed and shook her head as she looked at her brother. "The scrapes these two find," she smirked.

"I do believe, Sister, that they will be the death of us," Thorin admitted, a chuckle shaking his shoulders as he headed out of the door and back to work.

The End

Happy Easter! He is risen!


End file.
